Locomotive superheater apparatus.



G. D. YOUNG LOCOMOTIVB SUPERHEATER APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED 001.1, 1912'.

1,089,807. Patented Mar. 10, 191i 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W'TNESSES INfiTOR 0. D. YOUNG.

LOGOMO'IIVE SUPBRHEATER APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00'1.1, 1913 Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOH .v u b 7 ,l gmfi such pipes would overheat and burn out,

, due to the fact that when the pump was not .nmg, as a result of the absence of the flowing and a. mechanism is employed whereby the "from the steam pump supply pipe to the ranged to open automatically when steam is m rrnn sirafrns PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ID. YOUNG, 0F ALTOONB, PENNSYLVANIA.

LOCOMOTIVE SUPERHEATER APPARATUS.

eadset".

To (:73 107mm. it may] concern.

tie it liuown that 1,.(3HARLES l). Youiuc, a UlllZLll oil? the United States, residing at Al: toona. in the county of Blair and rftate of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful lmprovelm'nts in Locomotive Superheater Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to anapparatus whereby superheated steam can be utilized with the air pump of a locomotive, thus increasing the economy of operation of such pumps. The objection heretofore in utilizing superheated steam for this purpose was in operation and no steam was flowing through the highly heated superheater pipes,

particularly whenthe locomotive was runsteam which would otherwise absorb the heat and prevent the pipes attaining an unduly high ten'iperature. My invention has for its primary object, the overcoming of this difficulty, and to this end a supplemental pumpsupplying superheater is provided steam superheated in the supplemental superheater and not required for operating the pump may be automatically directed to the main body of steam passing to the locomotive cylinders when the locomotive is running, so that a stoppage of the pump during the time the locomotive is running and the supplemental superhcater pipes are being The specific means for accomplishing this function include a valve in a bypass leadlng main poi-ion of the superhcater and aradmitted past the throttle valve to the dry pipe of the locomotive. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein- Fi 1. is a side elevation of the front end of the locomotive with my improved appara tus applied thereto, a portipn of the wall or casing of the locomotive being broken away, Fin: 2 is a transverse section through the snioke box of the locomotive, and shows the superheatcr and cooperating air pump mech-' anism in front elevation, Fig. 3 man enlarged vertical section through the control- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 1, 1913.

Patented Mar. 10, 191 1. Serial No. 792,702.

hug valve employed, and Fig. 4 is a hori- ZOl ltfll section on the line lV- -IV of Fig. 2. lhe superhcatcr headers are made in an integral casting extending across the smoke box above the fire tubes as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and the casting is divided into four chambers 1, 2, 3, and 4 (Fig. 4), by the vertical walls 5 and 6. The chambers 1 and 2 constitute the main super-heater headers for supplying steam to the cylinders of the locomot1ve, while the chambers 3 and El: constitute the headers for the supplemental superheater for supplying steam to the steam cvlinders of the air pump.

The chamber .1 receives steam from the boiler through the dry pipe 7 leading to the steam dome 8 and having its inlet end controlled bythe throttle in the usual way. Super-heater tubes 9 lie in the [ire tubes 10, and each have one end connected to the chamber 1, and the other end connected to the chamber 2, the tubes taking into the bottoms of the chambers, and the arrangement being one which is well known in the art. Only a part of the tubes 9 are illustrated in Fig. 2, but it will be understood that one or more of such tubes lie in each of the fire tubes. At each end of the chamber 2 is an outlet pipe 1l,one of such pipes leading 30' one of the cylinders of the engine and the other leading to the other cylinder, via the steam chests in the ordinary way. It will be seen that steam supplied. to the chamber 1 through the dry pipe 7 passes through the pipes 9where it is superheated, and then passes to the chamber 2 from which it is delivered through the outlet pipe 11. The headers 1 and 2 and the tubes 9 as above described constitute what may be termed the main superheatcr to distinguish from the supplemental superheater which Wlll now be described.

The supplemental superheater comprises the chambers or headers 3 and 4 and the. tubes 12, such tubes lying in the fire tubes as illustrated, and each having one of their ends connected to the chamber 3 and the other end connected to the chamber 4. Steam is admitted to the chamber 4 by the pipe 13 (Figs. 1 '2, and 4). By reference to Fig.1 it will be seen thatthis pipe 13 opens mtothe steamdomeS, .so that steam is constantly supplied to the header-chamber 3 independently of the supply ofsteam to the main superheaterfrom the dry pipe 7. The steam supplied to the header 4 by the pipe 13 the casm 2O the piston 21, but

the chamber 3 to passes through the super-heater pipes 12 and into the chamber 3 Steam is delivered from c steam cylinders 14 of the air pump 15, b means of the pipe 16. In this pipe 16 are located manually operable valve 17 and a governor 18, which may be of any approved type, but is preferably the ordinary Westinghouse governor.

In order to prevent the supplemental superheater tubes 12 from overheating while the locomotive is running, and when the supply of steam to the steam cylinders 14 is cut oil by the pump governor 18, and in order. to utilize the supplemental superheater for use in conjunction with the main super-heater, the apparatus involving the pipes 17 18, and 19, and the mechanism in the'casing 20 is employed. The pipe 17 leads from the pipe 16 to the valve casing 20 (Fig. 1), while the pipe 18 leads from. to the header chamber 2 of the main super-heater- (Figs. 2 and 4). The pipe 19 leads from the dry pipe 7 to the lower end of the casing 20. In the casing 20 are the differential pistons 21 and 22 carried by the stem 23, and the slide valve 24 also carried by thestem 23. A small passage 24 provides for the release of pressure whidlr accumulates upon the upper side of the piston 21.

When the parts are in the position indicated in Fig. 3 steam is admitted to the space between the pistons 21 and 22, from the pipe 17, and the slide valve 24 closes the port leading to the pipe 18. The parts will occupy the osition indicated, and be positively held in such position when pressure is applied through the pipe 17, by reason of the fact that the piston 22 is larger than when pressure is applied through the p1pe 19 from the dry pipe 7 the 18 must necessarily be closed,

pistons 21 and 22 and the valve 24 will be moved up, uncovering the end of the pipe 18 and permitting a discharge oil, steam therethrough to the chamber 2 of the 'main superheater.

It will be seen that when the engine is standing and no steam is being supplied through the dry pipe 7, the throttlebeing closed, the valve 24 will occupy the position indicated in Fig. 3, and no steam will be permitted to escape through the pipe 18 to the chamber 2. At such time any steam supplied through the pipe 13 and supplementary superheater will pass to the steam cylinder-s14 operating the air pump, and the passage between the pipes 17 and as otherwise there would be a discharge of steam to the "steam cylinders of the locomotive, via the pipe, 18 and chamber to cause the locomotive to move ahead. On the other hand when the engine is running and steam is being supplied through the dry 2., which would tendpipe 7, it is necessary that the valve 94: should be in its upper position, thus ermitting a discharge :of steam through t e pipe 18, as otherwise the supplemental super I heater would be of no use when the operation of the steam cylinders 14 had stopped, and as a result of the non-circulation of steam through the superheater pipes of the supplemental superheater, such pipes would tend to become overheated, and burn out. As soon therefore as the engine is started the valve 24 is opened, and any steam which is not required for operation of the cylinders 14 is discharged through the pipe 18 to the main superheater chamber 2 and'utilized in the operation of the'locomotive pistons. The pressure in the chamber 2, and the size ofthe-pipe 16 are such that there is always sufficient pressure in the pipe 16 to operate the cylinders 14 of the air pump, even when the passage between the pipes 17 and 18 is open. '5

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular kind of superhcaters illustrated, the only requirement being that there be a main and a supplemental superheater, and that automatic means be provided for connecting the supplemental superheater to the main superheater when the throttle of the engine is open. This automatic actuation is preferably accomplished by means ofa supply of steam from the dry pipe in the manner illustrated, but the invention contemplates the use ofany means whatsoever whereby the communication between the two superheaters is opened automatically when the throttle is opened. It will also be understood that the form of communication between the two superheaters may be varied, and that the pipe 18 does not necessarily lead into the header chamber 2, the only requirement being that this supply of steam from the supplemental heater be added to the main body of steam for supplying the locomotixze cylinders, and the term communication referring to the connection be. tween the two superheaters" is used in its broad sense, and covers" any arrangement whereby the -two supplies of steam are merged, regardless of the point of merger.

What I claim is: 1. In combination in locomotive superheater apparatus for supplying a portion of the superheated steam to the steam cylinder of an air pump, a main superheater for supplying steam to the locomotive cylinders, a supplemental superheater, a connection .for supplying steam to said supplemental. superheater from the boiler, la'connection "from the supplemental superheater to the said air pump steam cylinder, and automatic means' whereby the supplemental superheater is placed in communication with the main supcrheater when steam is-supplied to the said main superheater from the boiler, and whereby such communication is cut off when the supply of steam to the main superheeter is cut off. 7

2; In combination in locomotive superheater apparatus for supplying a portion of tiliesuperheated steam to the steam cylinder of an'air pump, a main superheater t'or supplying steam to the locomotive cylinders, a supplemental superheater, a connection from the supplemental super'heater to the said air pump steam cylinder, a communication from the supplemental to the main superheater, and controlling means therein operated by supplying and cutting otl the supply of steam to the main superheater for opening and closing the saidcommunication.

3. In combination in loco-motive superheater apparatus for supplying a portion of the si iperheated steam to the steam cylinder of an air pump, a main superheater in cornmunication with the dry pipe of the locomotive for supplying steam to the locomotive cylinders, a supplemental super-heater, a

separate connection for supplying steam from'the boiler to the supplemental superheater,. a communication between the two superheaters, a valve in the said communication, and means operated by pressure from the dry pipe for opening the said valve.

4. In combination in locomotive supcrheater apparatus for supplying a portion of the snperheatcc'l steam to the steam cylinder of an air pump, a main supcrheater in communication with the dry pipe of a locomotive for supplying steam to the locomotive cylinders, a supplemental snperheater, a separate connection for supplying steam from the boiler to the supplemental superheater, a communication between the two superheaters, and automatic means for opening the said communication when steam is supplied through the dry pipe and for closing it when the supply of steam is cut off from the said dry pipe.

5.-In combination in locomotive superheater apparatus for supplying a portion of the superlu-ated steam to the steam cylinder of an air pump, a main superheater for supplying steam to the locomotive cyhnl ders, a supplemental super-heater provided with a communication for supplying steam to a main locomotive cylinder, a communication t'or supplying steam from the supplemental superheater to the steam cylinder of the air pump, a communication from the boiler for supplying steam to the main super-heater, a separate communication for supplying steam from the boiler to the supplemental superheater, and automatic means governed by the supplying and cutting oil 01 steam to the main super-heater, for opening and closing the communication for supplying steam from the supplemental superheater to the locomotive cylinder.

(3. In combination in locomotive superheater apparatus for supplying a portion of the superheated steam to the steam cylinder of an air pump, a main superheater f0). supplying steam to the locomotive cylinders, a supplemental superheater provided with a connnunication for supplying steam to a main locomotive cylinder, a communication for supplying steam from the supplemental superheater to the steam cylinder of the air pump, a. communication from the boiler for supplying steam to the main super-heater, a separate communication for supplying steam from the boiler to the supplemental super-heater, a valve in the communication leading from the supplemental super-heater to the engine cylinder normally held closed by steam pressure from the said separate communication, and a pipe leading to the valve from the communication for supplying steam to the main superheater and adapted to supply steam to open the said valve when steam is supplied to the last mentioned comnmnication.

7. In combination in locomotive superheater apparatus -for supplying a portion of the superheated Steam to the steam cylinder of an air pump, two super-heaters having independent connections to the boiler, one of which is controlled by the throttle, and such latter arranged to supply the locomotive cylinders and the other the steam cylinder of the air pumpjand means for automatically connecting the supplies of steam from the two super-heaters when the throttle is opened.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of the two subscribed witnesses.

CHARLES D. YOUNG.

lVitnesses \V. 11. Fons'rnu, J. T. I'IANLON. 

